Betting Man
by StBridget
Summary: Warrick bets Nick he can't get a date with Greg. Pre-slash. Chapter 3: The Aftermath! is up.
1. Chapter 1: The Bet

**Betting Man**

**By**

**St. Bridget**

Nick Stokes leaned against his locker and appreciatively watched the retreating form of Greg Sanders as he left the locker room. "Mmmm," he hummed unconsciously.

His best friend Warrick Brown followed his gaze. "Why don't you ask him out, man?"

Nick laughed bitterly. "Are you kidding? He's as straight as they come."

"How do you know?" Warrick asked curiously.

"Gee, I don't know," Nick responded sarcastically. "Maybe because I've never heard him talk about anything besides girls?"

"So?" Warrick replied. "I've never heard you talk about anything but girls, and you're not straight."

Nick didn't have a reply to that. It was true he was very careful to keep his private life private. At work, he was careful to cultivate an image of a consummate ladies' man. Warrick had only found out the truth by accident, when they were out at a bar and a rather drunk Nick commented on one of the male patrons. "Touche".

"So, what's stopping you?"

"I don't think I could handle the humiliation of being shot down," Nick said.

Warrick eyed him speculatively. "I'll bet you you can't get a date with Greg."

That hit Nick in his male pride. He either accepted the bet and suffered the humiliation of being rejected, or declined the bet and suffered the humiliation of being a coward. "What are the terms?"

Warrick thought a minute. "Full, sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant, and you pick him up. And you can't tell him it's a bet."

"What do I get if I win?"

"Date's on me," Warrick replied. "And if you lose, my next date's on you."

Nick considered the terms. He was truly between a rock and a hard place. Either way, his pride was going to suffer. Might as well go down in a blaze of glory. "You're on."

Next shift, Nick stuck his head into the DNA lab where Greg was bouncing along to his usual loud music. "Hey, Greg, got a minute?"

Greg turned to face him. "Yeah, sure, Nick, what do you want?"

Nick took in Greg's spiky brown hair, sneakers, and brown eyes regarding him curiously. His courage failed him. "Nothing. Never mind."

"Okay." Greg turned back to his work, and Nick watched his last chance go up in smoke.

"Will you go out with me?" He blurted.

"What?" Greg whipped around to face him again, shock on his face.

Nick looked down at the floor, face red with embarrassment. "Will you go out with me?" he repeated in a voice barely above a whisper.

Greg looked at him, his expression unreadable. "What if I said I'm not interested in guys?"

"You know, just forget it." Nick turned to leave but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"What if I said I am?" Greg asked softly.

Nick was confused. "So, what are you saying, G? Yes, or no? My heart's on my sleeve, here."

Greg didn't move his hand. "Yes," he said.

Nick wasn't sure he'd heard right. "Yes?"

"Yes," Greg repeated, firmer this time.

Nick still couldn't believe his ears. "Really?"

Greg grinned. "Really."

The smile on Nick's face lit up the whole lab. "How's Friday night sound?"

"Friday night sounds great," Greg replied.

"Great," Nick said. "I'll pick you up about 8. Dress nice"

Greg's grin widened, almost matching Nick's. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Me, too." Practically dancing, Nick went in search of Warrick. Victory was most definitely sweet.


	2. Chapter 2: The Date

By popular demand, Ch. 2: The Date!

AT 8 o'clock Friday night, Nick pulled up in front of Greg's place. He nervously checked himself out in the rearview mirror and adjusted his tie. It had taken him 30 minutes to decide what to wear, and he still wasn't sure he'd chosen right: black slacks, white shirt, black jacket, black and white striped tie. Oh, hell, he looked like an undertaker. Oh, well. Too late now.

Gathering his courage, Nick stepped out of the car and rubbed his sweaty hands on his slacks. He felt like a kid on his first date. He hadn't been this nervous on a date since high school. Maybe not even then. Nick really, really, really wanted this to go well.

Before Nick even got to the door, it opened and Greg stepped out. Nick's breath caught in his throat as he took in Greg's appearance. He, too, had opted for black slacks and black jacket, but he'd brightened it with a deep purple shirt. He definitely did not look like an undertaker.

"Hey, Nick, right on time," Greg greeted him.

"Hey, G, you look nice." Oh, God, what was he saying? Did you even say that to a guy?

"Thanks, you, too. Ready?"

Nick nodded and offered his arm to escort Greg to the car. What the hell had gotten into him? Next thing you knew he'd be bringing Greg flowers. Greg was not a girl, for heavens sake, so why was Nick treating him like one?

Greg grinned and good-naturedly took Nick's arm. "Why, thank you, sir," he simpered.

Nick couldn't help but grin back. Maybe this would be okay. Greg didn't seem offended. Just as he had that thought, he reached out and opened Greg's door. Oh, no, this was going a bit to far.

Greg seemed unfazed. "Aren't you gallant?" he simpered again.

A joke, that's it. Pass this off as a joke. You're just kidding around, Nick told himself. It's not like you have feelings for Greg. Oh, who was he kidding? He had it bad, and he knew it.

Nick closed Greg's door and walked around to the driver's side. "I made reservations at The Carving Knife. I hope you're in the mood for steak."

Greg whistled appreciatively. "You went all out, didn't you?"

Nick grinned at him. "Only the best for you, Greg." Keep it light, casual, he thought. Let Greg think you're only joking.

They arrived at the restaurant, and Nick, continuing his gallant streak by opening Greg's door and once again offering his arm, and once again kicking himself for being so sappy. Greg still didn't seem to mind, taking the offered arm and strolling arm-in-arm with Nick to the door of the restaurant.

Inside the restaurant, Nick gave the hostess his name, and she led them to a romatic, candlelit table for two. Nick got nervous all over again. Was this too much? Too date-y? Yes, this was a date, but was this going over board?

Greg looked around him as Nick held his seat out for him. "I've never been here before. It's nice."

Nick handed him a menu. "Wait 'til you try their steak. It's to die for. I heartily recommend the rib-eye."

Greg glanced briefly at his menu. "Well, I always say, trust a Texan when it comes to meat. The rib-eye sounds great."

Nick waved the waitress over and gave her their orders. Christ, now you're ordering for him? He continued berating himself. Chill, man.

Once the waitress left, Nick and Greg stared at each other, unsure what to say. "So, um, how did you find this place?" Greg asked finally.

"Like you said, Texans and meat." He grinned at Greg. "Went to every steakhouse in town trying to find a decent steak. When this place opened, I'd just about given up hope. But all that searching and waiting was worth it." Just like with you, he added silently, but there was no way he was going to say _that_.

Greg grinned back. "I can hardly wait. So what's the best steak you've eaten, ever?"

With that, the ice was broken. Nick reminisced about great pieces of meat he'd had over the years, and Greg shared his favorites. From there, conversation turned to other types of foods, and they were conversing comfortably when their food arrived.

Greg cut into his steak. "God, Nicky, this is fantastic!"

"Told you so," Nick smirked.

They lingered over their steaks, but at last the plates were cleared away. Nick stretched. "So what would you like to do now?"

Greg pondered the question. "Would you like to come back to my place for some coffee?"

"Blue Hawaiian?" Nick asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Of course." Greg grinned back. He'd been doing that a lot this evening, Nick thought. He loved Greg's smile and never wanted him to stop.

"Sounds great." Nick paid the bill and they rose. Nick started across the restaurant but stopped when he realized Greg wasn't behind him. "What are you waiting for?"

Greg pouted. "Aren't you going to offer me your arm?"

Nick grinned. Maybe he wasn't being too over-the-top after all. Or at the very least, Greg was being a very good sport. "Of course."

They left the restaurant and drove back to Greg's place. Without hesitating this time, Nick offered Greg his arm and escorted him to the door. Greg fished out his keys and let them in. "Make yourself comfortable while I make the coffee."

Nick took a seat on the sofa and looked around. It was a modest place, but neat and comfortably furnished. It looked like Greg, he decided.

Greg brought out the coffee and sat down on the sofa next to Nick, not too close, but not too far, either. Nick found himself scheming to close the distance.

"I had a really nice time tonight, Nick."

"Me, too." Nick tentatively reached out and grasped on of Greg's hands in both of his. "I'm really glad you agreed to go out with me."

"Me, too." Nick half expected Greg to pull away, but instead he rested his other hand on top of Nick's. "I was afraid you'd never ask," he added softly.

Nick chuckled, fear suddenly leaving him. Greg wanted this too! "I almost didn't," he confessed. "I was sure you'd just shoot me down."

"Never." Greg hesitated a second before tentatively brushing his lips against Nick's. "I wanted this so badly."

"Me, too." Nick kissed Greg back eagerly, his tongue begging for entrance Greg granted readily. They kissed passionately until Nick pulled back and started kissing Greg's neck.

"Oh, God, Nicky, don't stop!" Greg begged. Nick continued kissing and nuzzling Greg's neck, loving how Greg moaned when he hit a particularly sensitive spot. Nick tugged Greg's shirt out of his waistband and slid his hands up underneath, caressing the soft skin he found there.

Greg mimicked Nick's actions and pulled out his shirt, running his hands up Nick's stomach until he reached his nipples. He tweaked them playfully, causing Nick to moan in pleasure. "I want you," Greg whispered into Nick's neck.

Nick didn't need any encouragement. He scooped Greg up in his arms, quickly dropping him unceremoniously on the floor when he realized what he was doing. "Oh, God, Greg, I'm sorry. I'm actually like a lovestruck fool. You have that effect on me."

Greg grinned up at Nick from the floor and held his arms up. "I love it. Carry me off to bed, big boy."

So Nick did.

A/N: So there's my happy, sappy ending. If people are interested, I can write a third chapter where Greg finds out it was a bet, or we can leave it like this. :)

Sorry to disappoint anybody who was hoping for more detail. I want to keep this T, partly because of site guidelines, partly to prove you can write a good story without smut (though I'm all for smut, too! :) ), and partly because I'm a straight female, so I'd just be copying from someone else. However, if anyone wants to write The Missing Chapter, have fun!


	3. Chapter 3: The Aftermath

A/N: Ch 3 was bouncing around in my head, so I went ahead and wrote it. :)

Nick lay basking in the afterglow, enjoying the feel of Greg's head on his chest. "I'm so glad I made that bet with Warrick," he murmured without thinking.

"What?!" Greg's head shot up.

Oh, shit. "Look, Greg, it's not what you think."

Greg rolled out of bed and stood towering over Nick. "What I think is that you made a bet on whether you could get me in the sack. Is that about the size of it?"

Nick felt the need to regain some since of equality and stood up, too. "No, Greg, it wasn't like that at all."

"Wasn't it? Was all this just a game to you? Is that all it was?"

Nick winced. "No, of course not." But his denial fell on deaf ears.

Greg threw Nick's clothes at him. "Get out!"

Nick tried on last time to reason with Greg. "Greg, please, let me explain."

Greg wasn't having any of it. "Get. Out. Now."

Dejectedly, Nick put on his clothes and left. He'd really blown it. Everything he'd ever wanted was within his grasp, and he had to go and open his big mouth. Greg would probably never speak to him again, and Nick wasn't sure he could blame him.

Nick spent the rest of the day moping on his couch, alternately calling and texting Greg, to no avail. He had to do something to make it up to Greg, but what?

The next night a bouquet of flowers appeared in Greg's lab. The card read "Forgive me." Nick found the flowers in the trash when he went to check on Greg.

The following night it was a box of candy with a card reading "I meant it." The candy followed the flowers into the trash.

The third night, Nick put it all on the line. That night's gift was a stuffed dog dressed like Brett Michaels. It wasn't Marilyn Manson, not by a long shot, but Nick hoped it would appeal to Greg's quirkiness nonetheless. The card read "I love you."

Nick tiptoed hesitantly into the lab later in the shift. He glanced uneasily at the wastebasket, fully expecting to see the dog, but it was empty. He glanced around the lab, spotting Greg hunched over a sample, the dog on the counter beside him. A faint glimmer of hope appeared in Nick's chest.

"Did you mean it?" Greg asked softly, not turning around.

"What?"

"The card. Did you mean it?"

The glimmer of hope blossomed a little more. "Yes."

Greg still didn't turn around. "Why?"

Nick was having trouble following the conversation. "Why, what?"

"Why did you bet Warrick you could sleep with me?"

This was it. This was his chance. Don't blow it, he told himself. "I didn't. Warrick bet me I couldn't get a date with you because he knew I'd never ask you out otherwise."

"I would have said yes," Greg mumbled.

"I know that now," Nick replied. "You gotta believe me, Greg. I never meant to hurt you."

"Well, you did." Greg finally turned around, and Nick saw tears in his eyes.

"I know, and I'm so, so sorry. All I wanted was a chance to hold you in my arms and tell you how much you mean to me. Can you forgive me?"

Greg continued to sniffle for a minute. "Yes," he said finally.

The glimmer of hope burst into full bloom. Elated, Nick gathered Greg into his arms and kissed him soundly, not caring who might see. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

A/N: Okay, the end for real. :) Thank you for coming along with me on this little jaunt through the lives of Nick and Greg. Extra thank yous to those who reviewed, followed, and favorited! Hope you enjoyed it!


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